Pros and Cons Inside coop nesting boxes or outside

[The Lazy L]

Interior. Higher cost per square foot and/or wasted space above the nesting boxes

Exterior. Lower cost per square foot. Roof/access door must be designed so rain water does flow between the coop wall and the roof/access door.

 

[gg706]

I decided on an exterior egg box. My box does not leak at all. However it will be a bit harder to get the eggs. I did not build a box with the roof raising up because it would be too heavy for my kids to lift to get the eggs...as shingles are VERY heavy! I built the opening door on the front. I wish I had built the box taller to allow more room to access the eggs. I have had thoughts recently of reaching in to get the eggs and coming in hand and face first contact with a snake! NOT a pleasant thought!
This is my set up

 

[gg706]

I have been looking over hundreds of coops and there is never a mention of WHY your would build your nesting boxes inside the coop or make an attached box outside the basic 4 walled coop. Is it just looks? is there an actual reason one way or the other is better. talk to me i only have 6 weeks before the girls go out.



or

BTW....This is SO stinkin' cute!

 

[ailurophile23]

If you have plenty of room and it is not a hassle to go into the coop daily, I would tend to lean towards interior boxes. I have now had both exterior (i.e., hanging off the side of the coop) and interior (built onto an interior wall of the coop) - the problem I had with exterior is that the nest boxes got cold very quickly and I had some frozen eggs since I could only collect in the evening. The interior nest boxes have the advantage of a much larger air buffer surrounding the whole box - many fewer frozen eggs.

If you are still in the design and construction phase and need/want to have exterior boxes, you can always have the roof overhang past the boxes to eliminate rain issues and leaks.

 

[gg706]

yes that is a good point....I never thought about the eggs freezing. I live in Georgia so it probably won't be much of an issue for me, however if you live a cold winter area that would definitely be a concern for exterior nest boxes.

 

[Poppy Putentake]

I am planning a coop for 6-10 chickens and welcome suggestionns.

My own thoughts are:

Regarding exterior access for collecting eggs -- does not matter, ecause as long as the boxes are on an exterior wall, you can build an access door. You can have inside nest boxes with an access door (and you could even have exterior boxes with egg access only from inside).

I'd reommend outside access even if you expect to be going inside the coop anyway, as it makes checking for eggs so convenient. (Note: the access door only needs to be big enough to reach the eggs. A good idea, though, is to also plan a way to remove the bedding conveniently (from either outside or inside. One way is to make the board holding the bedding in (on either the interior or eterior side) removable.)

Exterior nest boxes advantages:

Saves space and simplifies the layout inside the coop. Avoids the problem of hens laying in the space underneath the boxes or dirtying the tops.

Interior nest boxes advantages:

Simpler construction and a less cluttered-looking exterior. Better temperate buffering both winter and summer. (The eggs will not freeze as fast in winter, and the boxes will not get direct hot sun in summer.) Also less of an issue with rain-proofing the boxes. For those in a snowy climate, need to keep in mind that the roof or lid over exterior boxes will collect snow.

 

[Krugerrand]

I am planning a coop for 6-10 chickens and welcome suggestionns.

My own thoughts are:

Regarding exterior access for collecting eggs -- does not matter, ecause as long as the boxes are on an exterior wall, you can build an access door. You can have inside nest boxes with an access door (and you could even have exterior boxes with egg access only from inside).

I'd reommend outside access even if you expect to be going inside the coop anyway, as it makes checking for eggs so convenient. (Note: the access door only needs to be big enough to reach the eggs. A good idea, though, is to also plan a way to remove the bedding conveniently (from either outside or inside. One way is to make the board holding the bedding in (on either the interior or eterior side) removable.)

Exterior nest boxes advantages:

Saves space and simplifies the layout inside the coop. Avoids the problem of hens laying in the space underneath the boxes or dirtying the tops.

Interior nest boxes advantages:

Simpler construction and a less cluttered-looking exterior. Better temperate buffering both winter and summer. (The eggs will not freeze as fast in winter, and the boxes will not get direct hot sun in summer.) Also less of an issue with rain-proofing the boxes. For those in a snowy climate, need to keep in mind that the roof or lid over exterior boxes will collect snow.

Most people on this thread haven't been around in years. You may want to start a new thread with specific questions on which you want feedback/suggestions.